​Founded in 1973, OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national non-profit civil rights organization promoting and protecting the political, economic, and cultural rights of Asian Pacific Americans in America. We are interested in working with anyone who shares our mission of creating a stronger America by advocating for the values of equal liberty and justice for all.

March 2018

OCA-NY is looking for a college student or recent college graduate for a full-time summer internship position to coordinate OCA-NY's 12th Annual HateCrimes Prevention Art Project. Xenophobic hatred is on the rise with the current political climate, fueled by racist and homophobic scapegoating by elected politicians and organized hate groups of marginalized communities-racial and ethnic minorities, immigrants, LGBT, and women. Now, more than ever, this Project is needed. This Project involves coordinating and training of diverse high school teenagers from select youth organizations on hatecrimes and using art as a tool to prevent hatecrimes. These youth will then devise the rules of a city-wide hatecrimes art contest, advertise the contest, judge the submissions, and plan the opening of the Art Exhibit at the Museum of Chinese in America, which is the culmination of the Art Project. For more background about the history of the project, please go to www.oca-ny.org.

Dates of Internship: May 23 - August 15, 2018

Stipend: $2,750 (includes local travel expenses)

Application Deadline: Monday, April 16, 2018, 6 p.m. EST

Please send a cover letter, current resume and essay (500 words maximum) on why you should be selected for this position, include names and contact information of two references: one from someone who is knowledgeable about your character and leadership skills and one from a professor that has taught you within the last year. E-mail cover letter, resume, essay and references to info@oca-ny.org. Indicate in the subject line: "OCA-NY HateCrimes Project Summer Internship-then put your name."

Please share with any person you see fit. Thank you for supporting our efforts to combat hate and division in the community.

February 2018

Join us at OCA-NY's Networking Mixer on 3/8 at Asia Roma, 40 Mulberry St (see attached)! Come learn about what OCA-NY's been up to with the Get Out the Vote efforts! We'll be signing up people for the Mentoring Asian American Professionals program. Meet and mingle with other OCA members and supporters over appetizers and drinks!

We are excited to share to with you OCA-NY will again hosting the Mentoring Asian American Professionals (MAAP) Program this year in New York City!

​MAAP is a three month program with four 1:1 mentoring meetings and three mentoring network sessions. Mentors and mentees are strongly encouraged to meet at least once a month to discuss specific career-building topics. Discussion guides will be provided for each topic.

The OCA MAAP program, with the generous sponsorship of UPS and Southwest Airlines, will cultivate the next generation of Asian American professional leaders through mentoring, skills building, and networking. The program pairs Asian American professionals with experienced leaders. As part of the mentoring process, participants will create a personal strategic plan allowing them to identify ways to achieve their professional as well as personal goals.

The 2018 application is now open! Click here for details and submit your application.

If you have specific questions, feel free to contact our MAAP Program's Chair/Board Co-Treasurer David Fung at fungdl8@gmail.com

We will be participating in two festive New Year Parades through downtown Flushing (Tomorrow, Sat., Feb. 17) and Chinatown (Sun., Feb. 25) Hope you are joining us!​Lunar New Year Parade in Flushing, Queens

Date: Saturday, February 17, 2018Time: 10 a.m.Meetup: St. George’s Church (13532 38th Ave, Flushing, NY 11354)This year, the Lunar New Year Parade in Flushing will again feature vibrant costumes, floats, dancing and traditional Chinese celebrations. We will be joining the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce in the parade, meeting 10 a.m. at St. George’s Church and then march over to the parade site at Union Street and 37th Avenue.We invite you and your family to join us. Please RSVP to OCA-NY Board Secretary Sophia Luu at sophia.luu@gmail.com

Lunar New Year Parade in Chinatown, Manhattan

Date: Sunday, February 25, 2018Time: 10:30 a.m.Meetup: P.S. 130 Hernando Desoto School (143 Baxter St, New York, NY 10013)Brace yourself for what's sure to be a wild celebration. The Lunar New Year Parade in Chinatown is stormed by dragons and dancers, while some of the best Chinese restaurants serve delicious food in celebration of the Lunar New Year. We will be joining the FCC Greater New York in the parade. Meetup at P.S. 130, family members, friends and PET DOGS are all welcome! We will be setting up some water bowls for the Dogs in the courtyard connected to the space we'll be in.

There will also be a Pre-Parade Party for prep, dumplings, sweet snacks, fruit, refreshments AND Lion Dance performance! If you and your family would like to join us, please RSVP to OCA-NY Board Co-Treasurer Danny Qiao at dogqiao@gmail.com or 516-445-3208.

Of course, no visit to Flushing or Chinatown is complete without food! After the parades, we invite you to join us for lunch/dim sum!

This is a Call to Action Letter given that the DREAM Act and the immigration policy that defines us as a nation is at a critical juncture. We are asking you to call your members of Congress at 202-224-3121 to send a clear message: Pass the DREAM Act! And keep the Family Reunification Rights!

I already called my congress members and urged them to continue to fight for a clean DREAM Act.

Yesterday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi held an 8-hour filibuster aimed at forcing the immigration vote while hundreds of Dreamers rallied in Washington D.C. for a DACA solution. OCA-NY stands with immigrants and advocates, and Dreamers in Washington, D.C. and across the country. We demand a clean DREAM Act now!

​THE 2017 DREAM ACT is a permanent, bipartisan and bicameral legislative solution for over 2.1 million immigrant youth and young adults who came to the U.S. as children, but have no pathway to citizenship. This includes the 800,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients who are currently left in uncertainty and limbo after the termination of the DACA program on September 5, 2017.For over 50 years, family reunification has been one of two main pillars of U.S. immigration policy. When President Lyndon Johnson signed the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, a landmark bill that abolished national origin restrictions, he stated “from this day forth, those wishing to immigrate to America shall be admitted on the basis of their skills and their close relationship to those already here. This is a simple test, and it is a fair test.”Americans have, by and large, affirmed the fundamental fairness of this test of valuing both family visas and high-skilled visas. The Gallup organization asked Americans in 2013 if they would prioritize high-skilled workers or people with family members already in the United States. It found that roughly equal proportions of Americans supported each priority.Today, please take a few minutes to call your members of Congress at 202-224-3121 to have your voice counted. If you prefer to send in your comments via email, please find the contact links to our Senators below:U.S. Senator Charles Schumer for New Yorkhttps://www.schumer.senate.gov/contact/email-chuckU.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand for New Yorkhttps://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/email-meIn Solidarity,Chi LoekPresidentOCA-NY Asian Pacific American Advocates

January 2018

​We invite you to join our community partner JACL NY Chapter for the inaugural celebration of Fred T. Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution in New York City! We look forward to seeing you Tuesday, January 30, as we hear from politicians, scholars, and activists to discuss this important milestone.The program will honor Fred Korematsu as a civil liberties role model, recognize the efforts of allies who worked on the campaign to make this important day a reality, and bring attention to Korematsu's legacy and its relevance to today's issues.

The Museum of Chinese in America and the National Immigration Forum are convening local business leaders to discuss the Forum’s innovative model for working with area employers to help their immigrant employees attain U.S. citizenship. This program, New American Workforce, offers information and application workshops as well as English and civics instruction in order to pass the naturalization test - all at the worksite.

Having partnered with many local employers, including employees of several departments within New York City, New American Workforce is inviting other local businesses to join in partnership to help the roughly 1.5 million area legal permanent residents learn about the opportunities citizenship provides and move forward with applying. This roundtable will further underscore the employer and employee benefits of offering citizenship services at the workplace, as well as mobilize and encourage more business to join the program.

OCA-NY's response to a recent hate incident in Queens

OCA Remembers the 74th Anniversary of Chinese Exclusion Repeal

Washington, DC – OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates commemorates the 74th anniversary of the Magnuson Act, also known as the Chinese Exclusion Repeal Act of 1943. This allowed Chinese immigration into the United States for the first time since the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 – which had previously banned Chinese immigrants only from entering the United States.This repeal also gave a path to citizenship for some undocumented Chinese immigrants already residing in the country. However, it capped immigration at 105 Chinese immigrants per year to the U.S. It was not until the passage of the 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act that immigration from China started to increase significantly.“The repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act was the right and humane thing to do. It allowed families to be reunited and gave immigrants a chance to pursue the American Dream and build thriving communities. Since family is a core American value, the family immigration system must be protected,” said Ken Lee, OCA National Chief Executive Officer.OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national organization of community advocates dedicated to improving the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs).

We are joining OCA National, New York Immigration Coalition, and other organizations national wide for a Mass Mobilization Efforts for Dreamers Dec. 6th. Please RSVP if you are able to participate. Chi Loek, President of OCA-NY will be attending. His number is 917-697-2842 if you need any information.

This Administration is determined to ruin the lives of DREAMers and the tens of thousands of immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), by rescinding protections that have allowed them to build homes and futures in the United States.

We can’t let this happen to our immigrant communities, which is why we need you in D.C.Where/When:Rally at Upper Senate Park on Dec. 6th at 12:00 p.m. with at least 10,000 people. Civil disobedience to follow at 2:30 p.m. Echo events happening across the country.How to Participate: Attend the rally and encourage others to attend.RSVP for a seat on our bus, and demand Congress pass a DREAM Act Now and protect TPS on December 6th!

OCTOBER 2017

Open Letter to Rob Manfred, Commissioner of Baseball, Major League Baseball (MLB)October 31, 2017Dear Mr. Rob Manfred:We are extremely disappointed in Yuli Gurriel’s show of bad sportsmanship when he made a racist gesture and uttered a racial slur against LA Dodgers’ Yu Darvish. Not only was this offensive to Mr. Darvish, but also to the many Asian baseball fans watching across the nation and worldwide. The MLB should have suspended Mr. Gurriel immediately for Game Five during the World Series. As such, the MLB should place a heavier fine on Mr. Gurriel and the Astros, as well as future immediate suspension for any racial slur or gesture against a player.Although Mr. Gurriel publicly apologized after the game, it took 18 hours before there was an announcement that he would be suspended for five games without pay in the 2018 season. This sentence seems cosmetic and further insults the Asian and Asian American community.The gesture of slanted eyes has historically been used to demonize and ostracize Asians, and it is the responsibility of an individual player, a team, and the MLB to make sure that this is understood – just as it is understood that it is, under any circumstances, appropriate to use the “n” word. Though we understand that Mr. Gurriel may not have thought the word he uttered, “chinito,” was a racial slur due to cultural differences, he knew that his hand gesture was wrong.The MLB punishes players for sins against baseball and sins against the greater society, and racism should not be exempt. The MLB must show that it will not tolerate discrimination, racism and slurs by both members of the MLBand baseball fans alike.Many members of the Asian American community agree that the MLB has not done enough in reprimanding Mr. Gurriel and the Astros. We believe that can begin with stronger discipline such as an additional fine to the Astros next season and thorough diversity training. Please feel free to contact Thu Nguyen at (202) 223-5500 ext. 119 or at tnguyen@ocanational.org.Sincerely,OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates

OCA-NY is pleased to share with you that Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announces Excelsior Scholarship application reopens for students attending college this Spring.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that the Excelsior Scholarship application for students to attend SUNY or CUNY tuition free this spring semester will open today, Monday, October 30th and will be open until December 4th.

Recipients of the Excelsior Scholarship's spring awards will join the more than 210,000 students already attending a public college or university in New York State tuition-free, and the 45,000 students deemed eligible for the Scholarship in the fall.

Please share with your anyone who is able to take advantage of this opportunity.

Applications will be accepted through Monday, December 4. To learn more or to apply, click here.

JOIN US: Asian. American. Dreamer. Rally - Oct. 5 @ 5:30

​Dear Members and Friends:

Next Thursday, the Asian American Federation is joining hands with our community partners and leading immigrant advocacy groups to hold an Asian. American. Dreamer. rally in support of Asian American DACA recipients who are being impacted by the dissolution of the DACA program under the Trump administration. OCA-NY is a co-sponsor of this rally and we hope you can come out to show solidarity.

On the day that marks the deadline for the DACA status renewal, the Federation and our partners will rally to defend the future of DACA, a program that impacts over 270,000 Asian Americans nationally and over 191,000 Asian Americans in New York State alone. Organizers will mobilize the pan-Asian community and other immigrant communities to call on Congress to pass a clean DREAM Act, as well as other immigrant protection programs.

Show up and lend your voice to recognize the importance of our Dreamers and immigrant communities and to protect their rights to live a full life outside the shadows.

Attached please find the flyers. We hope to see you there!

OCA-NY Asian Pacific American Advocates

Join us Thursday, September 28 for the 2017 OCA-NY Gala!

Our theme this year is “Celebrating Strength, Unity and Diversity.” We are proud to honor six outstanding individuals and an organization that have demonstrated sustained service in advocating and supporting the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community here in New York City, and more broadly, across our country.

The Honorable Justice Dorothy Chin-Brandt, first Asian-American elected public official in the State of New York and the first Asian-American woman judge, will be honored with the OCA-NY Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dr. Helen Zia, is an award-winning journalist and scholar who has covered Asian American communities and social and political movements for decades, will be honored with the OCA-NY Lifetime Achievement Award.

Steven Choi, Esq., is the Executive Director of the New York Immigration Coalition, an umbrella advocacy and policy coalition of nearly 200 member groups representing New York State’s immigrant communities, will be honored with the OCA-NY Leadership Award.

Mrs. Lily Din Woo will be honored with the OCA-NY Leadership Award. During Mrs. Woo’s tenure as Principal of P.S. 130 Hernando de Soto in New York City’s Chinatown for 25 years, she instilled confidence and created a positive learning environment to students, where 82% were on free and reduced lunch program and risen their performance to the 98th percentile.

Mrs. June Jee will be honored with the OCA-NY Leadership Award. She is the immediate past President of OCA-NY and is the current OCA National Vice President of Education and Culture. June is a community activist who strives to build communities through coalitions and partnerships.

​First American International Bank (FAIB) will be honored with the OCA-NY Community Service Award. ​Found in 1999 with the dream of bringing meaningful banking services and financial guidance tothe Chinese American immigrant community, FAIB is the largest locally-owned Chinese American community bank in New York, with offices in Brooklyn, Queens and Chinatown (Manhattan), offering afull array of consumer and business banking products and services.

Major Sponsors - Thank You!

SEPTEMBER 2017

September 11, 2017

OCA-NY Members:

Don’t forget to get out and vote on Tuesday, September 12, 2017 in the local primary elections! All polling locations will be open from 6 AM – 9 PM.

New York City is holding regular elections for mayor, comptroller, public advocate, and all 51 seats on the city council this year. Partisan primaries are scheduled for September 12, 2017 and the general election will be held on November 7, 2017.

If you have any questions, please contact the NYC Board of Elections hotline at 1-866-868-3691.

Remember, we can all make a difference by exercising our vote!

OCA-NY Asian Pacific American Advocates​

September 5, 2017

The nation’s DREAMers are under attack.Moments ago, the administration announced that it will end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) - a program that has provided work authorization, protection from deportation, and a new lease on life to immigrant youth brought to the US as children.The consequences of ending DACA will be dire for more than 800,000 DREAMers across the country - and 50,000 here in New York. We CANNOT stand by as this administration demonizes immigrant youth and tears families apart.

Join our 5PM rally at Foley Square TODAY. We are taking to the streets to remind the President and AG Jeff Sessions that we won’t stop protecting immigrant New York - that we are HERE TO STAY. More infohere - please share!

Past OCA-NY President June Jee will be present.

AUGUST 2017

Dear Members and Friends:

OCA-NY is co-sponsoring the City Council District 20 Candidate forum on Sunday, August 20 as an APA VOICE member organization. We would like to invite you to participate and hear the candidates' positions on important issues impacting Downtown Flushing, Murray Hill, Queensboro Hill areas of Queens. Primary election is September 12.

OCA-NY invites you to cheer on our very own dragon boat team during the 27th annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York on Saturday August 12th. We will be hosting an all-day BBQ sponsored by UA3.

OCA-NY Dragons is the community-based dragon boat team of OCA-NY, the New York Chapter of OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates. In full embodiment of our mission, OCA-NY Dragons welcomes paddlers of all levels and creeds. This year, we have over 20 Dragons on the team, ranging from first timers to veterans, students and young professionals to community leaders and volunteers. Special Thanks to Bruce Cost Ginger Ale Unfiltered for sponsoring OCA-NY Dragons with drinks for all of our practice sessions. Special Thanks to UA3 for sponsoring the BBQ during the festival.

JULY 2017

OCA-NY Asian Pacific American Advocates is honored to once again co-presents the Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) in New York City.

AAIFF is the first and longest running festival in the country devoted to films by and about Asians & Asian Americans. The annual fest takes place in NYC. Presented by Asian Cinevision, The Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) showcases the best in independent Asian and Asian American cinema.

OCA-NY members enjoy a 25% discount. Tickets are available at AAIFF's official Web site. Promo code: OCAaaiff40

We would like to share with you a New York State initiative that supports New Yorkers through the naturalization process by providing application and financial assistance. Please forward to your friends and family members who are in the process of becoming a U.S. Citizen.

NaturalizeNY is administered by the New York State Office for New Americans in partnership with the Robin Hood Foundation, New York Community Trust, universities including Stanford University, George Mason University, and SUNY Albany, and media organizations.

Resist, Recycle, Regenerate 反对－回收－再生is a series of workshops for Asian American girls that teaches papermaking and printmaking using discarded Chinese New Year fireworks recycled as hand-printed zines. In collaboration with MOCA and the School of Authentic Journalism the girls will conduct oral histories, map their family histories and learn about immigration laws that have shaped Chinatown’s past and how they can intervene in its future as young artists and activists.

​​MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD AND JOIN OCA-NY AT THE FLUSHING LIBRARY TOWN HALL MEETINGRESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 15th, 5:30 pm.PLEASE RSVP to info@oca-ny.org

Join your State Legislators and elected officials for a discussion on voting reform for new Americans. Open to the public, this Town Hall held at the Queens Library will include a community education presentation and a Q&A session with your local state legislators.

This discussion with your State Legislators and elected officials will be open to the public and will include a community education presentation and a Q&A session. Follow the discussion on the socials: #VotingReform or #EasyElectionsNY​We will also provide language access for community members. For more information and to RSVP, please contact Lovelie Tejada at ltejada@nyic.org

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD AND JOIN OCA-NY AT THE FLUSHING LIBRARY TOWN HALL MEETINGPLEASE RSVP to info@oca-ny.org

In the morning of May 12, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer held a Press Conference at the BatteryPark in the Lower Manhattan.He called for the creation of a public-private New York City Citizenship Fund to help tens of thousands of legal immigrants cover the ever-rising costs of the federal application to become a U.S. citizen. New York State State Senator Daniel Squadron and Assembly Member Yuh-Line Niou were present.

Among the many immigrant representatives, OCA-NY, AAFE and MinKwon Center for Community Action were there to support this important initiative.

OCA-NY strongly condemns the recent hate crime committed against an Asian American man on a street in midtown Manhattan this past Monday, 01 May 2017. The perpetrator is a self-professed “white supremacist” and was repeatedly yelling, “You are a fucking immigrant! Go back to your country! What are you doing here? Here in my country, we are white power!”

No one, including immigrants, should be subjected to such hateful attacks on any American street.

Let us not forget, this nation is entirely a nation of immigrants. Unless you are Native American or can trace your history to pre-colonial times, your ancestors came to this country for the same reason millions continue to do so today: to enjoy democratic values, freedom to be different, and a better life for themselves and their children. Furthermore, let us not forget the positive impact immigrants, people who are not all that different from you and me, have made to our country when they reach our shores. In New York City, nearly 40% of the population is made up of immigrants. Immigrants have enriched every aspect of our multiracial society.

OCA-NY has been fighting against race-based, ethnic-based, and immigrant-based hatred for decades. We will not tolerate any attempt by cowards to tear at our communities with racist and ignorant behavior used against anyone. OCA-NY is calling for a thorough investigation of this incident and continued policing of hate-based incidents throughout Greater New York City. Perpetrators of hate crimes should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We will continue to monitor and take community action against these acts of hate that threaten to divide our diverse and pluralistic society.

APRIL 2017

OCA Demands Answers Regarding Removal of United PassengerFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE11 April 2017CONTACT: Nick Lee | Senior Communications Associate202 223 5500 | nlee@ocanational.orgWASHINGTON, D.C. - OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates demands answers regarding the violent removal of a United passenger.On Sunday, April 9, prior to the departure of United Airlines flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville, a passenger was violently removed from the aircraft as a result of the airline overbooking the flight and not having enough room for other crewmembers. Chicago Department of Aviation security officers pulled the victim, David Dao, who identified himself as Asian and a doctor, out of his seat and dragged him down the aisle to the exit. Dao then attempted to return to the aircraft with his face bruised and bloody, visibly shaken, andrepeating "just kill me" and "I have to go home." United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz only offered an apology for having to "re-accomodate these customers," with no mention of the violence involved in the removal. In a separate email on Monday night, Munoz was dismissive about the passenger and stood behind the policies and procedures of the airline.In response to the incident, OCA is sending a letter to United Airlines, the Chicago Department of Aviation, and the U.S. Department of Transportation demanding a complete audit of the incident. OCA is also calling for Congressional hearings in both the House and Senate to investigate ticket sales and boarding processes by United and other airlines."We were deeply disturbed by the videos of the United Airlines passenger, who was a victim of the company's poor booking policies, being violently dragged from the airplane. This episode reflects very poorly on our country and demonstrates a lack of judgment responsible of several parties. In responding to this incident, United should be conducting a thorough and objective investigation, addressing the incident directly, and apologizing for the vicious way it was handled. The Chicago Department of Aviation should also be held accountable for why their officers felt it necessary to use violence to remove the passenger," says Ken Lee, OCA Chief Executive Officer."Indeed, the optics of a bloodied elderly Asian man being forcibly removed from his seat is something we cannot ignore. Regardless of race or background, all individuals' rights and freedoms must be protected within the system. This incident is a clear example of authorities using excessive force. We demand answers from United Airlines and the Chicago Department of Aviation. We look forward to hearing from the various governmental agencies in regard to this incident."OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national organization of community advocates dedicated to improving the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs).

MARCH 2017

​Dear Members and Friends,

On March 22, OCA-NY had the greatest honor and pleasure to celebrate the retirement of Justice Dorothy Chin-Brandt's highly distinguished career of 30 years in public service as Acting Justice of New York State Supreme Court, Queens County. In 1987, The Honorable Chin- Brandt made history becoming the first Asian-American public official to be elected in the State of New York as the Judge of New York City Civil Court, New York County.

Justice Randall T. Eng, the Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court for the Second Judicial Department also joined us at our Advisory Council/Board meeting. Justice Eng is the first Asian-American to serve as a Presiding Justice in New York State's history. We cherished the time Justice Chin-Brandt and Justice Eng spent with us in sharing their life experiences at our Advisory Council/Board meeting.

OCA-NY is looking for a college student or recent college graduate for a full-time summer internship position to coordinate OCA-NY's 11th AnnualHateCrimesPrevention Art Project. While 2017 marks the 35th Anniversary of Vincent Chin's death, the same xenophobic hatred is reemerging in today's divisive political climate. Now, more than ever, this Project is needed. This Project involves coordinating and training of diverse high school teenagers from select youth organizations on hate crimes and using art as a tool to prevent hate crimes. These youth will then devise the rules of a city-wide hate crimes art contest, advertise the contest, judge the submissions, and plan the opening of the Art Exhibit, which is the culmination of the Art Project. For more background about the history of the project, please go to www.oca-ny.org.

Dates of Internship: May 25 - August 14, 2017

Stipend: $2,750 (includes local travel expenses)

Application Deadline: Monday, April 17, 2017, 6 p.m. EST

Please send a cover letter, current resume and essay (500 words maximum) on why you should be selected for this position, include names and contact information of two references: one from someone who is knowledgeable about your character and leadership skills and one from a professor that has taught you within the last year. E-mail cover letter, resume, essay and references to info@oca-ny.org. Indicate in the subject line: "OCA-NY Hate Crimes Project Summer Internship-then put your name."

THE RIGHT T0 VOTE is one of the most cherished rights of citizenship in the United States and the basis of our democratic form of government. OCA-NY supports more opportunities for citizens to be able to vote. Therefore join OCA-NY, APA VOICE, elected officials and our partners to support the Rally to Resist Voter Suppression.

WHAT: ​We’re taking action to demand Governor Cuomo make New York a leader in election reform, not an example of voter suppression. This year's state budget must include essential voter reforms – early voting and automatic voter registration.

CO-SPONSORS: Common Cause/NY, SEIU 32BJ, New York Immigration Coalition, Make the Road NY, Citizen Action, TWU 100, The Brennan Center, Brooklyn NAACP, 2 Hours A Week, New York Working Families, e:*1, Public Citizen, The New York Civic Engagement Table, Women’s City Club of New York, the New York Civic Engagement Table, NYC Votes, Get Organized BK, Daily Kos, The Carey Institute, DuBois Bunche Center For Public Policy, Hugh L. Carey Institute, NYPIRG, Citizens Union.

ASKS: We reject the false assertion that voter fraud is widespread. The real problem with America’s elections is extensive voter suppression.

New Yorkers believe that voting is the lifeblood of democracy and demand that Governor Cuomo include essential voter reforms – early voting and automatic voter registration – in the state budget that will be adopted by April 1st.

Working class people, women, immigrants and people of color are disproportionally affected by New York’s arcane voting laws, if we update our electoral system more voices will be heard and we will have a more representative State.

Now in its 41th year of existence as a volunteer-run membership organization, OCA-NY is seeking a part-time Program Manager to provide organizational and human resources consulting services to support the Executive Committee of OCA-NY in maintaining and enhancing its visibility and active presence in the broader New York City immigrant rights and voting rights advocacy community.

Required Integrity/Ethics: Demonstrated consistency in upholding and promoting the values of OCA-NY in actions and decisions, and in accordance with best practices in the non-profit industry.

Additional Skills Preferred, but Not Required: Fluency in a Chinese dialect, and knowledge of New York City politics.

Application Deadline:March 31, 2017Please email updated resume, cover letter, short writing sample, and names and contact information for two professional references to info@oca-ny.org. Please state salary requirements. Selected candidate will be paid as an independent contractor. For more information, contact info@oca-ny.org

Dear Members and friends,

We appreciate working with our partner organizations: Asian American Journalists Association ( Lead), Advancing Justice- Los Angeles, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, Museum of Chinese in America, OCA-National, Reappropriate and Assemblyman Ron Kim on pursuing an apology and response from FOX for a racially offensive episode to the Asian community.

Below is a statement issued regarding "Watter's World" Chinatown Segment and the follow-up story from The Washington Post:

When criticism poured in after “Watters World” aired its Chinatown segment on Fox’s “The O’Reilly Factor” last October, Jesse Watters was taken aback.

"I was surprised, at the time, with the blowback. I didn't see it coming, and that's on me,” said Watters, a correspondent at Fox.

That’s according to a Dec. 30 article in Business Insider, in which Watters apologized for offending anyone with his Oct. 3 segment. The segment itself was billed as a report on Chinese Americans’ views on the U.S. presidential election but which AAJA and a slew of AAPI groups blasted for being rife with racist stereotypes.

AAJA MediaWatch demanded an apology from Fox News to the AAPI community immediately after the segment aired. It also requested a meeting with the show’s producers to understand how the segment was conceived and greenlit to air, and further sought an explanation for how such coverage would be prevented in the future.

After outreach from AAJA and the community, Fox News did in fact meet a number of those requests. On Oct. 25, a Fox News executive and an “O’Reilly Factor” executive producer met privately with AAJA and several national and local community leaders—including a member of the New York State Assembly, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans, OCA, OCA-NY and Reappropriate—at the Museum of Chinese in America in New York.

There, the executives were presented with an open community letter signed by 134 national, state and local AAPI organizations and allies, which requested that Fox News take several actions to address the community’s concerns, including issuing a public apology and instituting employee sensitivity training. Organizers based those demands from input that came out of a town hall meeting held on Oct. 9 in New York’s Chinatown. Fox was invited to the town hall but did not attend.

In a follow-up email with former AAJA President Paul Cheung in January, David Tabacoff, senior executive producer of “The O’Reilly Factor,” offered Megan Clarke, vice president of bookings, “to consider pitches and guests from your membership and community.” Additionally, Tabacoff made himself available as a conduit for story pitches and guests for Fox primetime shows such as “The O’Reilly Factor.”

Although Watters himself never met with AAJA or AAPI leaders, Tabacoff noted that his comments in the Business Insider article summed up his position on the controversy.

“I understand I did offend a lot of people, and I'm very sorry for that,” Watters said in the article. “People took issue with some of the statements I made, and some of the reaction to the Chinatown segment, and I understand that. And it's a learning experience—I definitely learned a lot from it. But it's a new day, and we are moving forward with it."

Tabacoff echoed that sentiment in his email to Cheung.

“We hope to move beyond this particular issue and maintain a positive relationship with the AAJA and your community,” he wrote.

Best,Chi Loek, PresidentOCA-NY Advocates​

​Dear members and friends,

We want to share with you this important announcement from Speaker Melissa Mark-Vevirito.

Speaker Melissa Mark-Vevirito would like to invite you and your friends to join her for a Solidarity March and show how New York City will continue moving forward towards social justiceonSaturday, 3/4/2017.

Attached please find the flyer for more details.

Bronx Gathering: @ 11AM: Gather at Graham Triangle (East 137th St and 3rd Ave in Bronx). In solidarity we will march across the Third Ave Bridge into Manhattan. March ends at La Placita (Park Ave and East 116th Street in Manhattan).

Manhattan Gathering @ 11AM: Gather on the corner of East 97th Street and 3rd Avenue and then march to new location Johnson House Community Center at 1833Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10029 (Lex Ave between E 115th St and 112th) --- Point Staff: Esteban Duran 646-276-6173

Please rsvp to info@oca-ny.org

Sincerely,

OCA-NY Asian Pacific American Advocates

FEBRUARY 2017

On February 22, we are proud to have been co-sponsors with AABANY and NYIC for the MOCA Film & Forum: Immigration, Exclusion, and Acts of Civic Engagement: Leveraging Our Asian American Experiences. We had a great panel of speakers. It was a packed audience with lots of dialogue that dealt with the current environment we are facing and how current anti-immigrant legislation are similar to those in the past. The World Journal coverage of our event is below. Coverage has also been provided by Sinovision: http://video.sinovision.net/?id=37510

In celebration of Black History Month OCA-NY invites you to attend "Trial by Jury: The Case of the N-Word" at the Apollo Uptown Hall on Sunday, February 26th at 3:00pm, 253 West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. (7th Ave.) and Frederick Douglass Boulevard (8th Ave.)

General admission tickets for the free program is first come first served. Maximum number of tickets reserved online is 2 per person. Registration does not guarantee space, so early arrival is encouraged. To be seated together, we will meet in front of the theater starting 1:30pm. Doors open at 2:00pm.

Thank you for participating in OCA-NY's 2017 Lunar New Year Event in Chinatown!​

Dear Members and Friends,

Please join OCA-NY in celebrating the Lunar New Year of the Rooster!

SATURDAY PARADE 2/4/17Participate in the famous Lunar New Year Parade of Flushing, Queens -- the most diverse community in New York City!Meet at the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce office (39-01 Main Street, Suite 511) between 10:00AM and 11:00AM for hot coffee and donuts. We will then head off to the parade site, and pass out candies to children attendees of the parade.The parade should last approximately an hour. Please be sure to dress warmly, in layers. We encourage attendees to bring festive signs and banners. Afterwards, enjoy dim sum with us.

SUNDAY PARADE 2/5/17Participate in the Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade Coordinated with FCC ( Families with Children from China). Refreshments will be provided.Meeting time is 11AM inside PS 130 at 143 Baster Street, NYC.Contact: Susie Yuen 917- 757-9615RSVP appreciated.

Please RSVP at info@oca-ny.org

We look forward to seeing everyone!​

RALLY REGARDING IMMIGRATION JANUARY 29, 2017

Please join OCA-NY, NYIC and other community organizations in voicing our concerns on the recent Executive Orders passed by President Donald J. Trump, banning refugees and effectively banning Muslim immigrants of certain countries from entering the United States.

The recently enacted executive orders on immigration is inapposite with the civil rights values of the AAPI community, a community that has suffered in the past from discriminatory legislation and executive orders, such as the Japanese Internment Camps during WWII, and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. We in the AAPI community still believe in those words inscribed onto the Statute of Liberty:

Apologies for the short notice. Meeting Place/Time: 2:00 p.m. at Irish Hunger Memorial (North End Avenue and Vesey Street) in Battery Park City. Look for the OCA-NY Banner.

The annual JACL (Japanese American Citizenship League)/OCA Leadership Summit will be held from Saturday, April 15 – Tuesday, April 18, 2017. The 3-night, 3-day intensive civil rights and advocacy seminar is designed to train 15 OCA and 15 JACL members in foundational and advanced advocacy strategies. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with and learn from members of Congress, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, Administration officials, government agencies, as well as partner organizations in the Washington, DC social justice community. Applications have been extended to January 24th, so keep nominating folks from your chapters! Applicants can apply HERE. For any questions regarding the Summit, please contact our Civil Rights Fellow, Kim Hall at khall@ocanational.org or 202-223-5500 x116.

OCA-NY proudly supports the Women's March to be held in New York City on Saturday, January 21st, 2017.

OCA-NY will march among those in the Women’s March in continuing our support for women’s rights, and the message about the importance of equal rights for all those who make up the fabric of our society, including immigrants of all statuses, religions of all faiths, the LBGTQ community, native people, and all minority groups. In marching in this event, members of OCA-NY would like to emphasize to the new administration the importance of bringing the country together, and to also quell the fears, concerns, and feelings of uncertainty,for those who viewed themselves as being most vulnerable under this new administration. TheWomen’s March in New York City will be held in conjunction with the Women's March in Washington D.C., also occurring on the same day.

​Please join us in marching for this worthy cause. We will be meeting 12:00 noon at 1 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, near 47th Street and 2nd Ave. Please look for the OCA-NY Banner.

This year, we are pleased to have Michael Luo, Investigations Editor at the New Yorker and formerly with the New York Times join us for a discussion on his recent encounter with racism. The discussion will be hosted by Cary Chow, host and anchor at ESPN.

Please RSVP by Friday, December 16, 2016.​

NOVEMBER 2016

OCA Denounces 'Muslim Registry' and Appeal to Japanese Incarceration During WWII​

WASHINGTON, D.C. - OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates denounced the plan to institute a "Muslim registry" and the appeal to the unconstitutional Japanese American incarceration during WWII as a possible grounds for justification of the registry.This Wednesday on Fox News, Carl Higbie spoke out in favor of a "Muslim registry" that would maintain a list of Muslim immigrants in order to track their activities for the purported reason of stopping terrorism. This idea was originally proposed by Kris Kobach, an anti-immigrant lawmaker who claims to be advising President-Elect Trump on his transition team. Higbie, a spokesman for the Make America Great Again PAC and a campaign surrogate for Trump, told host Megyn Kelly in discussing the legality of such a program, "I know the ACLU is going to challenge it, but I think it will pass. We've done it with Iran back a while ago. We did it during World War II with Japanese. Call it what you will, maybe wrong.""The idea of a Muslim registry is inherently discriminatory and antithetical to American values of equality and fair treatment under the law," said Leslie Moe-Kaiser, OCA National President. "This program would not only single out innocent people based on their religion for wrongful prosecution and deportation, but also would be ineffective in stopping terrorism. Carl Higbie's invocation of one of the most shameful episodes of Asian American history as 'precedent' for this registry is a prime example of why we, as Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, must be ever vigilant in preventing a repeat betrayal of the Constitution. Any effort to rewrite history that revives the grossly misguided 'necessity' of the internment camps is an insult to the memory of the 120,000 Americans of Japanese descent wrongfully incarcerated during WWII. If President-Elect Trump really will be a President for all Americans, then he must disavow Carl Higbie and Kris Kobach. He must also immediately condemn the idea of any kind of registry that singles out residents based on their ethnicity, religion, national origin, or other identity."

On Tuesday, The Bill O’Reilly Show sent reporter Jesse Watters to “investigate” the effect of criticism of the Chinese government in the current election on Chinese Americans in New York City Chinatown. However, Jesse Watters reporting resulted in demeaning stereotypes of the local Chinatown community rather than investigation of the story at hand. The segment repeatedly mocked community members that could not speak or understand English, conflated Japanese and Chinese cultural institutions, fetishized and sexualized Asian culture, and continuously highlighted stereotypes as wholly representative of the Asian Pacific American community, such as martial arts, massage parlors, accents, and herbal medicine shops.

“This segment was grossly offensive to Chinese Americans and all Asian Pacific Americans who have ever had to suffer through the many false equivocations and damaging stereotypes that were mentioned in rapid-fire succession during the show,” said Leslie Moe-Kaiser, OCA National President. “By going to the Chinese American community under the auspices of journalism and then unleashing a barrage of offensive stereotypes, Bill O’Reilly, Jesse Watters, and Fox News have completely trivialized the community’s view on this important election. At a time when politicians have fallen back on xenophobia to get ahead in the polls, it is disheartening to hear such offensive behavior come out of the media even as our power in the political process grows. Fox News should immediately disavow the segment and apologize to the Chinese American community for making a mockery of their language, culture, and political views.”OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national organization of community advocates dedicated to improving the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans (APAs).​

Professor Xiaoxing Xi, a Chinese American physics professor at Temple University, was suddenly arrested at his home in May 2015 and prosecuted by the U.S. government for passing technology secrets to China. The charges against him were dropped because in its rush to judgment, the federal government misconstrued his academic research. Professor Xi is just one example in a long list of Asian American scientists--from Wen Ho Lee to Sherry Chen--who have been falsely charged with espionage.

Joyce Xi, daughter of Professor Xi, will speak about her family's ordeal. She is calling for the U.S. government to apologize for its misdeeds and take action to prevent unjust racial profiling of Asian American scientists in the name of national security.

On Tuesday, October 4, 5:30 to 7:30 pm, at Roosevelt House (47-49 East 65th Street) in New York City this special event organized by the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and Mapping Asian American New York (MAANY). Peter Kwong, Distinguished Professor at Hunter College and co-author of Chinese America: The Untold Story of America's Oldest New Community, will join Margaret Fung, Executive Director of AALDEF in moderating this event. Please RSVP here or call 212-966-5923 before September 30th.

Special thanks to Roosevelt House and Dean of Arts and Sciences, Hunter College, and to our co-sponsors (list in formation): Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY); Asian American Studies Program, Hunter College; Coalition for the Revitalization of Asian American Studies at Hunter (CRAASH), Columbia University Asian American Alliance, NYU Asian Pacific American Law Students Association.​

Danny Chen was a 19 year old soldier, found dead in Afghanistan on October 3, 2011, after weeks of unrelenting hazing and racial maltreatment by his supervisors. The public and the military must never forget the sacrifice Pvt. Chen made for our country and the need to ensure all members of the armed forces are treated with "respect and dignity." With the recent suicide of Raheel Siddiqui, a Pakistani American Marine recruit as a result of hazing and religious bigotry and the alarming high rate of suicide still in the military, this reminder is imperative. And, October being anti-bullying month, our events will reach grammar school, high school, and college students, as well as the public nationwide.

Please support the Japanese American Association (JAA) of NY and the New York Buddhist Church by buying tickets to Sadako, the musical from Hawaii that is being performed in NY on Sept 9 (evening) and Sept 10 (mat and evening). It is a story of hope that started a world peace movement in remembrance of the victims of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.

Tickets range from $15 for students of all ages to $30/40 for general admission. VIP tickets including a reception on Friday night are $250. Please call Suki Ports at 212-749-6957 if you have any questions.

This is the first trip to NY for many of the cast members so we would like to give them a warm welcome by selling out these performances at John Jay College in Manhattan.

Thank you!

OCA-NY Advocate

OCA-NY is co-sponsoring the Candidates Forum for Senate District 16 on Tuesday, August 23rd. Come hear what these candidates have to say on important issues that impacts Bayside, Flushing, Forest Hills, Rego Park, Fresh Meadows and Elmhurst before the September 13th Primary.Date: Tuesday, August 23rdTime: 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm (doors open at 6:00 pm)Place: Queens Public Library – Flushing Branch 41-17 Main StreetRSVP: Info@OCA-NY.orgSimultaneous translation will be provided in Bengali, Cantonese, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, Urdu, and TagalogCo-sponsored by APA VOICE and Members: Asian Americans for Equality, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, CHHAYA CDC, Chinese American Planning Council-Queens, Korean American League for Civic Action, Korean Community Services, MinKwon Center for Community Action, OCA-NY Asian Pacific American Advocates, Pilipino American Unity for Progress, South Asian Council for Social Services, and YWCA Queens. In partnership with Asian American/Asian Research Institute, Asian American Bar Association of New York, Common Cause New York, NAACP Northeast Queens Branch, and The New York Immigration Coalition.

OCA-NY is co-sponsoring the Candidates Forum for Assembly District 65 on Sunday, August 14th. Come hear what these candidates have to say on issues that impacts Chinatown and the Lower East Side. Come prepare with questions that are important to you.

We are happy to announce that we are partnering with the Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) to promote the following programs! Please take advantage of our 25% Community Partner discount rate for any program at AAIFF (excluding Opening, Centerpiece, and Closing Night). Go to http://aaiff.org/2016/schedule and enter the promo code OCAaaiff16 after you’ve added your desired ticket(s).

AAIFF is the first and longest running festival in the country devoted to films by and about Asians and Asian Americans. This year, AAIFF will run from July 21 through July 30, 2016. Please visit http://aaiff.org/2016 for more information. AAIFF’s social media handle is @asiancinevision, and its hashtag this year is #aaiff2016.

We are happy to partner with the Asian American International Film Festival (AAIFF) in presenting the following programs:​

BREATHIN’: THE EDDY ZHENG STORY + Q&A | Dir. Ben Wang | USA | 7:30pm, Fri., July 22 | Village East Cinema, 181-189 2nd Ave., New York, NY 10003Arrested at 16 and tried as an adult for kidnapping and robbery, Eddy Zheng served over 20 years in California prisons and jails. Director Ben Wang’s film paints an intimate portrait of Eddy—the prisoner, the immigrant, the son, the activist—on his journey to freedom, rehabilitation and redemption.

PAINTED NAILS + Q&A | Dir. Erica Jordan & Dianne Griffin | USA | 1:30pm, Sun., July 24 | Village East Cinema, 181-189 2nd Ave., New York, NY 10003Discovering that her health problems and two miscarriages were caused by toxic chemicals in nail products, Van Hoang, a Vietnamese immigrant and nail salon owner, becomes one of the first workers in decades to testify against the cosmetic industry before Congress.

TYRUS + Q&A | Dir. Pamela Tom | USA | 6:30pm, Sun., July 24 | Village East Cinema, 181-189 2nd Ave., New York, NY 10003At 105 years old, Tyrus Wong is a living legend. He is not only the oldest living Chinese American painter, but also the genius illustrator whose design gave birth to Disney’s animated feature Bambi, and whose storyboards inspired the mise-en-scène of numerous Warner Brother’s classics, such as Rebel Without a Cause and Giant. TYRUS unearths the works of an unrecognized genius and his life-long struggle against racism and discrimination in the American film industry.

Earlier today, the Supreme Court decided in a tie in U.S. v. Texas, resulting in a continuation of the lower court injunction against President Obama's deferred action programs. Both deferred action programs, DACA and DAPA, have been the subjects of several attempts to remove this necessary relief through lawsuits directed at the Obama Administration.

After decades of anti-immigrant obstruction to comprehensive immigration reform, four years ago President Obama used his lawful enforcement authority to create the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This program was supplemented two years later by a further expansion to DACA that would have lifted the age cap on the original program, and the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program that would have granted protection to the parents of citizens and legal permanent residents. Unfortunately, these attempts have been successful in preventing much needed relief from making its way to the community through both an expanded DACA and DAPA programs.

"We are dismayed by this ruling by the Supreme Court," said Leslie Moe-Kaiser, OCA National President. "Of the 11 million undocumented individuals living in the United States, 1.5 million are Asian American. These are our fathers, mothers, sisters, and brothers. When President Obama granted relief to eligible undocumented individuals using his lawful executive enforcement powers, he granted these undocumented members of our community a new lease on life where Congress had failed them so many times. He made it clear that America could no longer tolerate the moral ill of splitting up families and loved ones. The Supreme Court today sullied this vision of a pro-immigrant America by continuing the freeze on DACA and DAPA."

"Today's ruling also reinforces the importance of passing comprehensive immigration reform with a path to citizenship. Until the passage of legislation that will ensure that our families can reunite and remain intact in this country, immigrants will continue to be threatened by separation and deportation. Undocumented families in America remain among the most vulnerable members of our society, and anti-immigrant groups will continue to try and disenfranchise and diminish these groups. We cannot allow anti-immigrant forces to redefine what it means to be an American, so OCA will continue to fight for our families, for reunification, and for comprehensive immigration reform," concluded Moe-Kaiser.

OCA and other Asian American and Pacific Islander community partners are planning to convene a nationwide call next week to discuss the impact of this decision and a way forward.

SAVE THE DATE!

Be a part of the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York.Join OCA-NY Dragons - use the form via the CONTACT tab above.

Learn the history and the art of Dragon boat racing.Exercise for your mind, body, and soul.​Sponsored byBruce Cost Ginger Ale Unfiltered.

MAY 2016

APRIL 2016

2016 PAID SUMMER INTERNSHIP

COORDINATE OCA-NY ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN ADVOCATES'

10TH ANNUAL HATE CRIMES PREVENTION ART PROJECT

OCA-NY is looking for a college student or recent college graduate for a full-time summer internship position to coordinate OCA-NY's 10th Annual Hate Crimes Prevention Art Project. This Project involves coordinating and training of diverse high school teenagers from select youth organizations on hate crimes and using art as a tool to prevent hate crimes. These youth will then devise the rules of a city-wide hate crimes art contest, advertise the contest, judge the submissions, and plan the opening of the Art Exhibit, which is the culmination of the Art Project. To commemorate the 10th year anniversary, the coordinator will also create an online picture timeline of past winning submissions. For more background about the history of the project, please go to http://www.oca-ny.org/hate-crimes-prevention-art-project.html

Dates of Internship: May 23 - August 20, 2016

Stipend: $2,500 (includes local travel expenses)

Application Deadline: Friday, April 22, 2016, 6 p.m. EST

Please send a cover letter, current resume and essay (500 words maximum) on why you should be selected for this position, include names and contact information of two references: one from someone who is knowledgeable about your character and leadership skills and one from a professor that has taught you within the last year. E-mail cover letter, resume, essay and references to info@oca-ny.org. Indicate in the subject line: "OCA-NY Hate Crimes Project Summer Internship-then put your name."

Greater New York OCA Chapters believe there are two victims to this tragic incident involving an accidental discharge. An innocent father of a young child is dead. And a career of a young rookie Officer is over. Both Akai Gurley and Officer Peter Liang are victims of multiple failed systems. The NYPD’s ill-advised practice of sending rookie officers to conduct vertical patrols in NYCHA buildings without proper supervision and training put Officer Liang in a compromised situation. If this practice had stopped, Officer Liang and his partner would not have been conducting vertical patrols that night. Furthermore, Akai Gurley would not have been in the darkened stairwell if NYCHA had fixed the elevators. And NYCHA’s failure to fix the lights in the stairwell made the situation even worse.

Officer Liang should not bear full responsibility for a less than perfect system. Historically, the criminal justice system has been lenient on officers who have committed even more egregious acts, whose cases have never been brought to trial. This specific case highlights a glaring contradiction in our criminal justice system. Police misconduct and brutality cases can get very disparate outcomes depending on which District Attorney is handling the case, which borough the incident occurred, and the race of the officer and victims involved. In order for the public to have confidence in our judicial system in cases involving police misconduct and brutality, there cannot be these glaring differences. Our judicial system cannot engage in selective prosecution. It must apply the same standards for all. In this case, a rookie police officer, who is an Asian American, is being scapegoated.

OCA continues to call for a fully funded independent prosecutor's office that will handle police misconduct and brutality cases. OCA will continue to monitor the case to ensure the sentencing for Officer Liang is fair and consistent with an accidental discharge.​

​- . -​

PRESS STATEMENT February 13, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: June Jee, President

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE OFFICER PETER LIANG CASE

There are no winners in this tragic case. Akai Gurley, an innocent father of a young child is dead and the career of a young officer has ended. Officer Liang should not bear the full responsibility for a less than perfect criminal justice system, which has traditionally been lenient on officers who have committed even more egregious acts, whose cases have never been brought to trial. This case indicates a glaring contradiction in our criminal justice system. Police misconduct and brutality cases can get very disparate outcomes depending upon which district attorney is handling the case and which borough the incident occurred in. In order for the public to have confidence in our judicial system in cases involving police misconduct and brutality, there cannot be these glaring differences. Our judicial system cannot engage in selective prosecution, it must apply the same standards for all. In this case, a rookie police officer, who happens to be an under-represented minority in the NYPD, had the book thrown at him. To hold all police officers to the same standard, OCA -NY continues to call for the creation of an independent prosecutor's office that will handle police-involved deaths.

OCA-NY will do what it can to ensure sentencing for Officer Liang is commensurate with that of an accidental misfire.

Founded in 1976, OCA-NY is a non-profit civil rights organization that promotes and protects the political, economic, and social rights of Asian Pacific Americans in New York City.

LUNAR NEW YEAR EVENTS

​

​Come one! Come all! Come and join the Lunar New Year celebration with OCA-NY in Flushing on Saturday, February 13, 2016 and Sunday February 14, 2016 in Manhattan Chinatown.

2016 is the year of the Monkey. The year is 4714 in the Lunar calendar. According to the Chinese Horoscope, Monkey is a smart, naughty, wily and vigilant animal. Were you born in the year of the Monkey? Does your personality reflects like a monkey?Come and share your outlook with our members and friends.

​Flushing Lunar New Year Parade:WHEN: Saturday, February 13, 2016 WHERE: 39-01 Main Street. Suite 511. Flushing , NY 11354(We will march with Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce)Time: 9:30am for some hot coffee and donuts complements of Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce, and we'll head off to the parade site together at about 10:30AM.RSVP: Contact Chi Loek at 917-697-2842 or Chi_Loek@yahoo.com

Manhattan Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade:WHEN: Sunday, February 14, 2016WHERE: PS 130 at 143 Baxter Street, NYC.(We will meet for a toasty warm Pre-Parade party hosted by Families with Children from China (FCC)at the address above)TIME: 11:00 am inside of PS 130 and we will all march outside at 12:30pm lining up on Hester near Mulberry Street. RSVP: Contact Susie Yuen : snyuen@aol.com or 917-757-9685

The parade lasts about an hour to an hour and half; dress warmly and in layers. If you have monkey costume, wear it proudly. Budget enough time to get to the meeting place since many streets will be closed for the parade. Afterwards, please join us for lunch. See you all soon!

January 2016

On December 18, 2015 JiaJia was brutally slashed across her face and throat by an attacker as she walked to school. The assailant is still at large and JiaJia was left with over two hundred stitches.

Assemblyman Ron Kim's press conference to announce a special fund for Jia Jia, the young exchange student from China who was an unfortunate victim of a heinious slashing. You can make your donation at: GoFundMe.com/SupportJiaJia or you can send a check to:

Founded in 1973, OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national non-profit civil rights organization promoting and protecting the political, economic, and cultural rights of Asian Pacific Americans in America. We are interested in working with anyone who shares our mission of creating a stronger America by advocating for the values of equal liberty and justice for all.

OCA-NY is a 501(c)(3) organization. Our financial statements are submitted annually to the IRS. All of our board members are volunteers.